Dual fuel nozzle system and apparatus

ABSTRACT

In various embodiments, a dual fuel nozzle ( 200 ) for use in a gas  200  turbine engine is provided. The nozzle may be configured to supply and gas and a liquid. The dual fuel nozzle ( 200 ) may include an interior wall ( 217 ). The interior wall ( 217 ) may include a shoulder ( 219 ). The shoulder ( 219 ) may include one or more gas ports ( 216 ). Gas may be discharged through the gas ports ( 216 ) and penetrate a mixing zone.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/867,869, filed Aug. 20, 2013.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to radial fuel injection in fuel nozzles, and more specifically, to radial fuel injection in dual fuel nozzle to improve gaseous fuel dispersion and/or penetration.

BACKGROUND

A gas turbine may generally include a fuel nozzle that is configured to supply one or more fuels to the combustor. This fuel may be mixed with air and/or pollution mitigation substances such as, for example, water. Dual fuel nozzles used in propulsion and energy production applications may comprise a radial fuel port. Dispersion and/or penetration of gas fuel may be affected by the location of the radial fuel port. Greater dispersion and/or penetration of gaseous fuel may increase the operating efficiency of a gas turbine.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, a gas turbine fuel nozzle may comprise a housing. The housing may define a mixing chamber including a transition zone. The housing may comprise an interior wall. The interior wall may comprise a shoulder. A fuel port may be defined in the shoulder. The fuel port may be configured to conduct a fuel into the mixing chamber. The fuel may propagate across a volume of the mixing chamber prior to reaching the transition zone.

In various embodiments, a dual fuel nozzle may comprise a gas supply, an interior wall, a housing, a liquid supply and a liquid supply channel. The interior wall may comprise a shoulder. The shoulder may include a gas port. The housing may define a gas discharge zone configured to receive a gas from the gas port. The gas discharge zone may comprise a transition zone. The liquid supply channel may be configured to conduct a liquid to the transition zone.

In various embodiments, a dual fuel distribution system may comprise a gas fuel supply, a housing, a liquid fuel supply, and a liquid distribution channel. The housing may comprise an interior wall defining a shoulder. The shoulder may define a plurality of gas ports. Gaseous fuel from the gas fuel supply may be conducted through the gas ports into a mixing chamber. The liquid distribution channel may be defined in the housing. The liquid distribution channel may be configured to conduct a liquid fuel from the liquid fuel supply to a transition zone. The transition zone may be a portion of the mixing chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, however, may best be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements.

FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective cross sectional view of a prior art dual fuel nozzle.

FIG. 1B illustrates a gas fuel dispersion and/or penetration of a prior art dual fuel nozzle.

FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective cross sectional view of a dual fuel nozzle, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 2B illustrates a gaseous fuel dispersion and/or penetration of a dual fuel nozzle, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 2C illustrates a perspective cross sectional view of a portion of a dual fuel nozzle, in accordance with various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description of exemplary embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show exemplary embodiments by way of illustration and their best mode. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the inventions, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical, chemical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation. For example, the steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not necessarily limited to the order presented.

Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any reference to more than one component or step may include a singular embodiment or step. Also, any reference to attached, fixed, connected or the like may include permanent, removable, temporary, partial, full and/or any other possible attachment option. Additionally, any reference to without contact (or similar phrases) may also include reduced contact or minimal contact.

As used herein, phrases such as “make contact with,” “coupled to,” “touch,” “interface with” and “engage” may be used interchangeably. Different surface shading may be used throughout the figures to denote different parts but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials.

In various embodiments, a gas turbine engine may comprise a dual fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle may define one or more channels. One or more of these channels may be configured to receive a gas and/or a liquid. These channels may be operatively coupled and/or may be in fluid communication with one or more components of a gas turbine engine including, for example, the combustor. The liquid, gas, and/or air supplied through the one or more channels may be conducted or carried from the fuel nozzle to the combustor. In this regard, the nozzle is configured to provide fuel in the form of a gas or a liquid to the combustor for starting or sustained operation of the gas turbine. The nozzle is configured to provide air, and/or water in either gaseous form or liquid form, or combinations thereof to the combustor for starting or sustained operation of the gas turbine.

In various embodiments, the gas turbine may be a gas turbine configured to provide power and/or a gas turbine configured to provide propulsion. For example, in an embodiment where the gas turbine is configured to provide power, the gas turbine may be installed or operated in a power plant environment where the gas turbine drives electricity generating devices and supplies power to a structure and/or a utility provider. In an embodiment where the gas turbine is configured to provide propulsion, the gas turbine may be installed on a vehicle such as, for example, an aircraft or other suitable machinery.

In various embodiments and with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B a gas turbine may comprise a typical dual fuel nozzle comprising a housing 110, a gas supply channel 112 and a liquid supply channel 118. Housing 110 may define a gas distribution channel 114 and a liquid distribution channel 120. Housing 110 may also define a mixing chamber 124. Mixing chamber 124 may be in fluid communication with gas distribution channel 114.

Dual fuel nozzle 100 may further comprise a gas port 116 defined in an interior wall 117 of housing 110. Gas port 116 may be located downstream of a shoulder 119 in interior wall 117 substantially near a transition zone 124′ of a mixing chamber 124. In this regard, gas (e.g., a gaseous fuel) may be conducted through gas supply channel 112 and gas distribution channel 114. The gas may be discharged through gas port 116 into mixing chamber 124 adjacent to transition zone 124′.

In various embodiments, liquid may be supplied through liquid supply channel 118 and conducted into liquid distribution channel 120. The liquid may be disbursed through a lip 122. Dual fuel nozzle 100 may further comprise an impeller 126. Housing 110 may define an air supply channel 128 along a centerline A-A′ of dual fuel nozzle 100. The impeller may be configured to conduct air through air supply channel 128 into a discharge zone 130. In various embodiments, the liquid, fuel and air may be mixed in discharge zone 130.

In various embodiments, the liquid may be a liquid fuel and/or water. Where the dual fuel nozzle is installed in a power generation application, the liquid may be water that is used to mitigate or minimize carbon monoxide and/or mono-nitrogen oxide emissions (i.e., NO_(x)).

In various embodiments and with specific reference to FIG. 1B, fuel mixing is shown as letter G. Fuel may be discharged through gas port 116 from fuel distribution channel 114 into mixing chamber 124. Fuel distribution G generally shows that the fuel does not mix well into mixing chamber 124, but rather, remains clustered (e.g., close to) near interior wall 117 as the fuel propagates from mixing chamber 124 to transition zone 124′. This clustering or lack of fuel dispersion and/or penetration may result in inefficient combustion of fuel G. In this regard the fluid velocity in mixing chamber 124 generally increases at transition zone 124′. This increase in fluid velocity may minimize fuel distribution G as the fuel propagates from mixing chamber 124 to transition zone 124′ causing the fuel to cluster along a portion of interior wall 117 adjacent to transition zone 124′.

In various embodiments and with reference to FIGS. 2A-2C, adjusting the position of fuel port 216 may increase fuel penetration (e.g., the distance the fuel travels into the mixing chamber 224) and dispersion (e.g., the spreading of a mass of fuel across a volume) . More specifically, moving fuel port 216 forward (e.g., in the direction associated with reference A of the A-A′ centerline) further away from transition zone 224′ may allow fuel discharged through fuel port 216 to further propagate into mixing chamber 224. In this regard, the fluid velocity in mixing chamber 224 may be lower upstream of transition zone 224′, allowing for greater fuel penetration in mixing chamber 224.

In various embodiments, fuel port 216 may be defined by interior wall 217 at shoulder 219. With specific reference to FIG. 2B, fuel may be distributed or injected into mixing chamber 224 where the fluid velocity in the chamber is relatively low (e.g., the fluid velocity in an upstream portion of mixing chamber 224 may be lower than the fluid velocity in mixing chamber 224 near transition zone 224′). The fuel distribution G′ demonstrates greater fuel penetration as compared to fuel distribution G, as shown in FIG. 1B. In this regard, fuel distribution G′ illustrates that the fuel propagates across the entire volume of mixing chamber 224. This greater penetration provides for lower fuel density, a more suitable fuel-air mixture, and better ignition efficiency.

In various embodiments, the fuel distribution G′ illustrates that the fuel may propagate into the volume of mixing chamber 224 as opposed to clustering near interior wall 217. The fuel may be conducted through the transition zone 224′, and mixed with air supplied through channel 228, and a liquid supplied through channel 220 and lip 222. This air, fuel, and water mixture may be further supplied to the combustor for ignition. In this regard, the mixture (gas (e.g., fuel), liquid (e.g., fuel and/or water), and/or air) may be conducted to the combustor.

In various embodiments, interior wall 217 may comprise a plurality of gas ports 216. In various embodiments, interior wall 217 may define 8-14 gas ports 216 around its diameter. In various embodiments, interior wall 217 may define 12 gas ports 216 around its diameter. Gas ports 216 may be substantially aligned with one another around along a diameter of interior wall 217. Moreover, gas ports 216 may be equally spaced circumferentially around interior wall 217. The holes may be of any suitable diameter (e.g., 0.090 inches-0.110 inches/0.2286 cm to 0.29784 cm) and/or pitch. The pitch may be a function of the shape and/or slope of shoulder 219. In this regard, the geometry of one or more gas ports 216 and/or number of gas ports may provide a Holdeman Parameter that is greater than the ratio of pitch to diameter.

In various embodiments and with reference to FIG. 2C, a portion of the dual fuel nozzle illustrating particular flow channels is provided. A liquid B may be supplied through liquid supply 218 and conducted to channel 220 and discharged through lip 222 as B′. Similarly, a gas A may be supplied to gas distribution channel 212 through gas distribution channel 214 and out of gas port 216 into mixing chamber 224 as A′. Air C may be supplied along channel 228 as C′. At transition zone 224′, gas A′ and liquid B′ may be mixed and supplied into channel 228 and mixed with air C′. The mixture is then conducted to a combustor for gas turbine operation, ignition and/or burning.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical system. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of the inventions. The scope of the inventions is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” Moreover, where a phrase similar to “at least one of A, B, or C” is used in the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may be present in an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment, or that any combination of the elements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. Different cross-hatching is used throughout the figures to denote different parts but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials.

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided herein. In the detailed description herein, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “various embodiments”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. After reading the description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the disclosure in alternative embodiments.

Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.” As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A gas turbine fuel nozzle, comprising: a housing, defining a mixing chamber including a transition zone, the housing comprising, an interior wall comprising a shoulder and defining a fuel port in the shoulder, the fuel port configured to conduct a fuel into the mixing chamber, wherein the fuel propagates across a volume of the mixing chamber prior to reaching the transition zone.
 2. The gas turbine fuel nozzle of claim 1, further comprising a liquid supply.
 3. The gas turbine fuel nozzle of claim 2, wherein the liquid supply is configured to conduct a liquid to the transition zone.
 4. The gas turbine fuel nozzle of claim 3, wherein the liquid is at least one of a liquid fuel and water.
 5. The gas turbine fuel nozzle of claim 1, wherein the shoulder defines a plurality of fuel ports.
 6. The gas turbine fuel nozzle of claim 1, wherein the fuel port has a diameter of approximately 0.090 inches to approximately 0.110 inches.
 7. The gas turbine fuel nozzle of claim 1, wherein the fuel propagates away from the interior wall.
 8. A dual fuel nozzle, comprising: a gas supply; an interior wall comprising a shoulder, the shoulder defining a gas port; a housing defining a gas discharge zone configured to receive a gas from the gas port, the gas discharge zone comprising a transition zone; a liquid supply; and a liquid supply channel configured to conduct a liquid into the transition zone.
 9. The dual fuel nozzle of claim 8, wherein the liquid is a liquid fuel.
 10. The dual fuel nozzle of claim 8, wherein the liquid is water and is supplied to reduce emissions.
 11. The dual fuel nozzle of claim 8, wherein the shoulder defines a plurality of gas ports.
 12. The dual fuel nozzle of claim 8, wherein the gas penetrates a volume of the gas discharge zone.
 13. The dual fuel nozzle of claim 8, wherein the gas propagates away from the interior way.
 14. The dual fuel nozzle of claim 8, wherein the gas and the liquid mix in the transition zone.
 15. The dual fuel nozzle of claim 8, further comprising an air channel configured to conduct air to the transition zone, wherein the air is mixed with the liquid and the gas.
 16. A dual fuel distribution system, comprising: a gas fuel supply; a housing comprising an interior wall defining a shoulder, the shoulder defining a plurality of gas ports, wherein gas from the gas fuel supply is conducted through the plurality of gas ports in a mixing chamber; a liquid supply; and a liquid distribution channel defined in the housing and configured to conduct a liquid from the liquid supply to a transition zone, wherein the transition zone is a portion of the mixing chamber.
 17. The dual fuel distribution system of claim 16, wherein the gas fuel and the liquid are mixed in the transition zone.
 18. The dual fuel distribution system of claim 16, wherein the housing further comprises an air supply that is configured to conduct air to the transition zone.
 19. The dual fuel distribution system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of gas ports is 12 gas ports.
 20. The dual fuel distribution system of claim 16, wherein the liquid is at least one of water and a liquid fuel. 